Metal tie.



METAL m. APPLICATION YILED IAB. 18, 190B.

Patented Jan 5, 1909.

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Af fQ/ vnl: Nomus rlrtks co4, wAsmNarQN, D` c4 UNITED STATESQENT OFFICE.

BYRON G. MURRAY, OF ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TOOLIVER ROTHERT, OF ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA.

METAL frm.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 5, 1909.

Application filed March 18, 1908. Serial No. 421,814.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BYRON C. MURRAY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Altoona, in the county of Blair and State of Pennsylvania,have invented certain new and useful vImprovements in Metal Ties, 1ofwhich the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to metallic ties and has specially in viewa novel form of rail fastener having a `pivotal engagement with the tieand adapted to tightly lock the rails thereon.

With the above and many other objects in view, the inventioncontemplates the em v loyment of a metal tie preferably of the hol owtype, the end portions of which carry supporting means for pivotallymounted rail clamping members with each of which a cooperating wedgingmember is employed to cause said clamping members to rock to a positionwhere they will clamp opposite sides of a rail to firmly hold the sameto the tie.

In carrying out the invention changes may be made in the details ofconstruction, a preferred and practical embodiment of which isv shown inthe accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of arail tie equipped with the novel rail fasteners, the same being shownwith a rail clamped in position at one end of the tie, the clampingmembers at the other end being omitted to better illustrate theirsupporting lugs. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on theline 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a bottomplan view of the tie. Figs. 4, 5 and6 are, respectively, a side elevation, plan, and end view of the wedgewhich cooperates with the clamping members.

Like characters of reference designate corres onding parts.

t is preferred to associate the present in-V vention with the form ofhollow metallic tie shown more clearly in Fig. 1 of the drawings ribs7--8, and a plurality of openings 9 ar-M ranged between each pair ofribs.

Each of the end pockets 1 and 2 is provided with diametricallyoppositely located clamp supporting lugs 10-11 provided with anintermediate fiat upper surface 12 and u standing rounded end ears1S-14, each o which is provided with a pivot opening 1515a. Said lugsare arranged as shown in Fig. 1 to permit of clamping members 16--17being placed between them, said clamping members being each providedwith a pivot opening 18--18L which register with the pivot openings inthe said supporting lugs and through which the pivot bolts 19-20 arepassed to effect a pivot engagement between the said lugs and clampingmembers. Said pivot bolts are provided with the nuts .21-22 at theirends to retain them in position. The said clamping members 1(517 intheir general configuration are substantially duplicates, and referringmore articularly to Fig. 2 of the drawings, it will e observed that eachis provided with an inwardly projecting arm 23 which carries a clampingplate 24, the outline of which conforms to the outline of the top andbottom of the spiking iange a of the rail A. Said clamping plate 24 ispreferably formed integral with the clamping members and its bottom isstrengthened and supported by the inwardly horizontal flange 25, beneathwhich the major portion of each clamping member is cut away to form alongitudin( lly tapering wedge shaped locking recess 26, the inner wall27 of which is beveled.

The clamping plate 24 carried by clamping member 16 is referably of alarger size than the plate carried by the clamping member 17, and its uper portion is of thesame configuration. as t .e web b of the rail A,with which it engages when in a clamping position. A locking wedge 28cooperates with 1 the clamping members 16-17 to fasten the rail to thetie, said wedge being provided with an enlarged or laterally extendinghead portion 29, and longitudinally tapering,

transversely beveled sides 30-31, which correspond with the lockingrecesses 26 formed in the bottoms of the clamping member 16--17, andalso with similarly shaped openings 3 1 a in the side walls of the tiewhich register with the said locking recesses.

To attach a rail to the tie, the same may be l slid through the clampinglates, which of course would be thrown bac on their pivots to permit ofsuch passage of the rail. After the rail is in roper position, thelocking wedge is assed through the opening 31a of the tie an its sidesenter the locking recesses 26. Owing to the tapering formation of thewedge and the locking recesses, the continued driving in thereof willcause the clamping members to rock on their pivots, spreading apart thelower portions thereof and bring the clamping plate against the railsides with sufficient pressure to retain the rail in an immovableposition. The locking wedge is of such a length that when in its lockedposition its smaller end will project beyond the tie, and to assure thesame being retained in a locking position, a plurality of key openings32 are formed therethrough for the reception of a locking key or othersuitable retaining means. Said key openings 32 are preferably arrangedin a longitudinal row to permit of the Wedge being used in connectionwith ties of various widths.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the presentinvention provides a rail fastening device which is capable of beingplaced in a rail locking position by driving the wedge in one directionthrough the tie and the clamping members, and owing to the reduced endof the wedge projecting beyond the opposite side of the tie, the sainemay be readily forced in the opposite direction to cause the clampingmembers to release the rails. And it will be further observed thatthrough the described arrangement of the flange 25 at the bottom of eachclamping member, a support is provided for the rail at the center of tiepockets which serves to prevent any buckling or bending of l the rail.

The structure described herein can be adapted for insulated trackservice by sim ply mterposing insulated material I between the clamps 16and 17 and the opposing surfaces of the rails as suggested in Fig. 2 ofthe drawings.

. Claims.

1.*A tie provided with supporting lugs, oppositely located rail clampshaving a pivotal connection with said lugs, and a locking wedgecooperating with said clamps to cause them to engage with opposite sidesof a rail.

2. A tie provided with supporting lugs having upstanding pivot ears,oppositely located rail clamps having a pivot-connection with said ears,and a locking wedge coperl i l l i l l i l l ating with said clamps tocausethem to engage with opposite sides of a rail.

3. A tie rovided with supporting lugs, o positely llocated rail clampscarrying c amping plates which conform to the contour ofthe base of therail and being provided with a lower locking recess, and a locking wedgecoperating with the locking recess in each rail clamp to cause the saidclamping plaltes to engage with opposite sides of the rai 4. A tieprovided with supporting lugs, oppositely located rail clamps eachcarrying a rail gripping plate and being provided with a lower lockingrecess the side wall of which is beveled, and a locking wedge the sidesof which correspond in shape with the said locking recesses and adaptedto coperate therewith to cause the said clamps to engage with oppositesides of a rail.

5. A rail tie provided with end pockets, supporting lugs in said pocketsand provided with upstanding end ears, rail clamp ing members having aivotal connection with said ears, said rail c amps being oppositelymounted and each carrying a clamping plate which conforms to the outlineof the base of the rail and being provided with a tapering bottomlocking recess the end walls of which are beveled, and a locking wedgehaving longitudinally tapering transversely beveled sides which coperatewith said locking recesses to rock said clamping members on their pivotsand cause tneir clam ing plates to engage with the sides of a rail? 6. Arail tie provided with end pockets, supporting lugs in said pockets andprovided with upstanding pivot ears, rail clamping members having apivotal connection with said ears and each carrying a rail clampingplate and being provided with a bottom rail su porting flange and alocking recess, and a ocking wedge coperating with said locking recessesto rock said clamping members on their pivots and cause their clampinglates to engage with opposite sides of a rai In testimony whereof lhereunto afiX my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

BYRON C. MURRAY.

